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Elements of Landscape Design

Landscape design can be thought of as an art form where the outdoor area is the painter’s canvas which needs to be filled with aesthetic value. One of the distinctions of this type of art is that it is in a constant state of change. The professional who does backyard landscaping in Monmouth County has to consider the area from several perspectives. It should be visually pleasing of course, but it must also have an element of function and be ecologically responsible in design. The goal is to incorporate all of the basic elements so that they collectively create a unified landscape design. There are four basic elements that must be brought together to form a landscape that is aesthetically pleasing and matches the exterior design of the home.

Landscape Element: Line

Lines are used in landscape design to create an edge between two different materials, outline a form or create a linear feature. These are a great resource for the professional who does backyard landscaping in Monmouth County since they can be used by the designer to create an endless variety of forms or shapes. Lines are also useful in landscape design because they help control where and what the eyes look at. Lines can be used to bring the design all together as one cohesive pictorial unit. Lines can be curved, straight, horizontal, or vertical but they are an important visual element that is necessary to the successful exterior design.

Landscape Element: Form

Shapes are created when a line is used to enclose a space. Form is the three dimensional manifestation of a shape. This element can be added through the use of hardscapes or plants and it is what helps to visually and spatially organize the landscape so that it has a definitive style. Formal forms include circles, polygons or squares. Informal forms can be created through organic edges, fragmented edges or meandering lines. Plants can create form in garden or landscaped areas by their outlines or their silhouettes. However, it is also important to recognize that a void or negative space which is situated between plants can define form.

Landscape Element: Texture

Texture can be how fine or coarse a landscaped surface looks. Texture is really the element that provides variety and keeps the area from being visually bland. It’s what provides interest, contrast and variety for the eyes. Foliage, bark, branching patterns or flowers can all provide texture in the landscape design. Even the size and shapes of leaves can determine how texture is perceived. Texture is also present in hardscapes like buildings, walls, walkways or patios. Texture is one of the features that will catch and hold the eyes and it provides the interest in the backyard landscape. Fine texture can help make a space feel larger; course texture can add more visual interest. Tough textures helps make the area feel more enclosed and everything seem closer.

Landscape Element: Color

Plants, natural materials, hardscapes or water scapes can all add the element of color to the landscape design. Color is usually the main thing that attracts attention and it is also used to provide the focus. It can be one of the most temporary elements since some plants only last part of the year. The color wheel is usually what is used to determine the right balance of color for landscape design. The basic color schemes include complementary, analogous and monochrome. Monochromatic color schemes use shades of one color in the landscape design. An analogous color scheme will use 3 to 5 colors which are adjacent on the color wheel. And a complementary color scheme uses colors which are opposite of each other on the color wheel. Color is used in landscape design through flowers, bark, foliage and even the fruit of some plants.

Author Bio: This post was written by Philip Eriv; Philip Eriv is the owner of grounds Keeper Inc, a landscape design company in Monmouth County NJ. Philip has many years of experience in designing beautiful landscapes, hardscapes, and waterscapes in Northern NJ, he works hard to bring out the beauty in ever landscape that he works on, for more info on landscape design visit, http://www.groundskeeperinc1973.com/.